Getting started with Agent Controller - AIX

This guide contains the following information:

Prerequisites
Configuring and starting Agent Controller
Querying Agent Controller version information
Server logging
Invoking the Java Profiler
Uninstalling Agent Controller

Prerequisites

Install the TPTP 4.1.0 Runtime.
Install the Java runtime (JRE) or Java development kit (JDK) 1.4
Remove or uninstall all existing installations of Agent Controller.

Configuring and starting Agent Controller

Notation
<unzip directory> = The absolute directory path where Agent Controller has been unzipped. For example, /opt/TPTP.

Add the <unzip directory>/lib directory to the system's LIBPATH environment variable.
Add the <unzip directory>/bin directory to the system's PATH environment variable.
Ensure that the files in the <unzip directory>/bin and <unzip directory>/lib directory are executable.
Generate the configuration file that provides the rules for the applications that can be executed by the server. This can be accomplished by running the <unzip directory>/bin/SetConfig.sh script. Run this script from a command shell in the <unzip directory>/bin directory. This step will require that a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) be present in the system's PATH. Follow the prompts and the output will be the <unzip directory>/config/serviceconfig.xml file.
Ensure that the <unzip directory>/bin/RAServer file is executable.
Start the server by changing your working directory to <unzip directory>/bin and running ./RAStart.sh.
Stop the server by changing your working directory to <unzip directory>/bin and running ./RAStop.sh.

If you want to make a change to the configuration file that was generated in step 5, the file can be manually edited using the rules outlined in the document Agent Controller configuration files. The server must be restarted to load changes.

Querying Agent Controller version information

To display the version of Agent Controller, simply type:
RAServer -v
or
RAServer -version

The Agent Controller will display its version and terminate.

Server Logging

All server log entries will be placed in <unzip directory>/config/servicelog.log.

Invoking the Java Profiler

The Java Profiler is a library that attaches to a JVM to capture and record the Java application's behavior. The output from the profiling agent is in the form of XML fragments. Documentation on the composition of these XML fragments is located at: http://www.eclipse.org/tptp/platform/documents/resources/profilingspec/XML4Profiling.htm .

Invocation of the Java Profiler from the Eclipse Workbench

The Java Profiler can be launched from the Eclipse workbench. From the Profiling and Logging Perspective of Eclipse workbench you can launch applications using the Run > Profile menu or the toolbar button. Applications in the current Eclipse workbench's workspace or external Java applications located in the file system can be launched and profiled.

Invocation of the Java Profiler from the Command Line

Note that the first step in Configuring and starting Agent Controller is required for invoking the Java Profiler from the command line. The Java Profiler is invoked from a command line using the -Xrun JVM option as follows:

    -XrunpiAgent[:agent_parm[,agent_parm]*

where agent_parm may be:

server=[standalone | enabled | controlled | applicationControlled]
standalone

The Java Profiler is manually attached to a JVM instance and generates a stand-alone trace to a specified file based on the options and filters given on the command line. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler produces the enclosing traceRoot element to form a complete and valid XML document.

enabled

The Java Profiler is loaded, allows the application to run normally, but produces no trace until a Eclipse workbench attaches to the agent to give it instructions. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler only produces XML fragments instead of a complete XML document.

controlled

The Java Profiler is loaded, and the application is blocked from running until a client gives it instructions to continue. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler only produces XML fragments instead of a complete XML document.

applicationControlled
Profiling operations are controlled by the TPTP "Profiler" java class. The pluginconfig.xml file must be modified to use this mode. The pluginconfig.xml is located in the following directory:
```
<agent_controller_home>\plugins\org.eclipse.tptp.platform.collection.framework_4.0.0\config\pluginconfig.xml
```
The following modification is required:
```
<Agent client="DYNAMIC" configuration="default" dataChannelSize="64M" name="Java Profiling Agent" type="Profiler"/>
```
should be modified to
```
<Agent client="HEADLESS" configuration="default" dataChannelSize="64M" name="Java Profiling Agent" type="Profiler" logFile="C:\profile.trcxml"/>
```
Note that the Agent client attribute has been changed to "HEADLESS" and that the "logFile" attribute has been added.
The hcframe.jar file should also be included in the user's class path when profiling an application under this mode. For example:
```
 java -XrunpiAgent:server=applicationControlled -classpath "C:\AgentController\lib\hcframe.jar";. TestClass
```
filters=filename
NOTE: This parameter is only used when server=standalone is specified.
Specifies the name of the file that contains the initial class filter definitions to be used during the trace. The default is filters.txt in the current directory. The format of the file is as follows:
```
        classpattern methodpattern mode , where:
```
classpattern

is a string with no embedded blanks. The string may contain a single "*" either at the beginning of the string or at the end of the string. The "*" will match zero or more characters, thus making the pattern a generic prefix or suffix pattern. A single "*" can also be specified to represent all strings.

methodpattern

is a string with no embedded blanks. The string may contain a single "*" either at the beginning of the string or at the end of the string. The "*" will match zero or more characters, thus making the pattern a generic prefix or suffix pattern. A single "*" can also be specified to represent all strings.

mode

is one of INCLUDE or EXCLUDE. Filter patterns are processed in the order that they are specified until the first pattern match succeeds. If the class name does not match any of the specified filter patterns, the default is to INCLUDE the class.
file=filename
Note: This parameter is only used when server=standalone is specified.
Specifies the name of a file where the trace will be written. The default is trace.xml in the current directory.
help
Displays a list of available agent options to standard out.

Uninstalling Agent Controller

To uninstall the agent controller:

Stop the server by changing your working directory to <unzip directory>/bin and running ./RAStop.sh.
Remove the <unzip directory>.
Remove the <unzip directory/bin> directory from the system's PATH environment variable.